Person Page 111

Stephen Leonard was born on 14 December 1680 in Taunton, Bristol County, Massachusetts.¹ He and Mary were married about 1702 in Massachusetts? He and Comfort were married about 1725 in New Jersey. He died in 1732 at age ~52 in Hanover, Morris County, New Jersey.

He was a Justice of the Peace and Judge of the Court of Common Pleas. He became a JP in Hunterdon Co., NJ, 20 September 1725.

ECL notes that he was "initiated into the bloomer's art." There is a note that there may have been other children. See O. B. Leonard. William A. Leonard statement in the Historical Gazetteer, Tioga Co., NY. Also letter, George Kinney Leonard, Hiwasee Dam, NC, dtd 11 Oct. 1943.

In 1722 he moved to New Jersey with his family, except for son Zephaniah, whom he left with his grandfather, James Leonard. First Church of Morristown, Combined Registers, mentions that Stephen moved to New Jersey in 1723, was at mines in Hanover. When his brother James bought the Whittenton Forge, Stephen took the west hearth at Raynham. His son, Zephaniah, took over the west hearth when Stephen moved to New Jersey. ECL mentions that he gave power of attorney to his wife, Mary, to sell his property in 1722 and another in 1723 to his friends John Mason and Jacob Barney, stating that he was then of Hanover, NJ. He left a will in NJ that speaks of the tools in the forge and iron ore. See Genealogy and History, 9.15.45 (10445) -- states Stephen d. Whippany 1732 and a bond dtd 1.6.1732/3, Comfort Leonard, widow, and Admin. Stephen. An inventory was made of his estate. Alternate date of death is "bef. 4 Mar 1741 in Whippany, Morris Co., NJ. (ECL gives date of death as 1743, as does William A. Leonard).

Was it this Stephen or Stephen, son of James, who was a Justice of the Peace and father of Zephaniah? William Reed Deane in "Genealogical Memoir of the Leonard Family" (NEHGS Register, 1851, p. 414) states that it is this Stephen who was the father of Zephaniah et. al.

A Taunton newspaper clipping dated 1901 listing the Leonard genealogy says: "The children of Stephen3 Leonard, James2, James1 are Huldah4, Mary4, Paul4, Joshua4, Rev. Silas4, and Zephaniah4." There is no Josiah. Josiah b. 1738 appears to have been the son of Paul4 Leonard.

The Journal of Stephen Rose Leonard (1848) states that Paul Leonard, his great-grandfather, had two brothers, Silas and Elijah, and raised seven children: James, David, Phebe, Lydia, Huldah, and Diadema.

George Marston Leonard's charts (J-29) lists Zephaniah, Mary, Paul, Silas, Joshua, and Huldah as children of Stephen and Mary. Chart J-21 lists Zephaniah, Mary, J-22-24 lists Joshua, J-25-27 covers the descendants of Zephaniah, and J-29 covers Paul, Silas, and Hulda. Diadema isn't mentioned. Diadema isn't mentioned in Bill Barton's listing of Stephen's children. Jonah appears to have been a later discovery.



Thomas Leonard's Bible in Rev. War pension file lists Stephen Leonard and Mary as his grandparents, his mother's parents.

An Internet source guesses that David was the son of Stephen and Comfort and married Sarah Goble. Stephen Leonard had person sources.^2,3 He died in December 1732 at age ~52 in Hanover, Morris, New Jersey.

William Stone was born about 1685.

Col., Hon. George Leonard, was born on 4 March 1698 in Norton, Bristol County, Massachusetts.¹ He and Rachel Clapp were married on 9 November 1721 in Norton, Bristol County, Massachusetts. He died on 4 December 1778 at age 80 in Norton, Bristol County, Massachusetts.

He was judge of both the Court of Common Pleas and Court of Probate, MA Senator, Speaker of the House, US Congressman. He was dismissed from English office for signing the Manifesto Bills.

Receipt dtd 3 Nov. 1730 by George Leonard of Norton for legacy from estate of his father, Major George Leonard of Norton, as paid by his mother, Anna Leonard, widow and executor. Mentions "my sister Anna Leonard deceased." 7:595. This George's will probated in 1779, names wife Rachel, son George, daughter Rachel Barnes, wife of David Barnes of Scituate, and daughter Anna Chandler, wife of Gardner Chandler. Col., Hon. George Leonard, had person sources.²

Rev. Nathaniel Leonard was born on 9 March 1700 in Norton, Bristol County, Massachusetts.¹ He and Priscilla Rogers were married on 22 October 1724 in Ipswich, Essex County, Massachusetts. He died on 11 June 1761 at age 61 in Norton, Bristol County, Massachusetts.

Rev. Nathaniel was a Harvard grad. Class of 1719. He was ordained at First Church, Plymouth and served as pastor there from 1724 to 1754. "He was a gentleman more inclined to the active than the studious life, but should be remember for his useful services as a minister, and for his exemplary life and conversation." (Thacher's History of Plymouth, p. 280).

Will of Nathaniel Leonard of Norton, gentleman, dtd. 3 June 1761, prob. 15 June 1761. Wife Priscilla. Sons: Nathaniel (eldest), Abiel (2nd son), George (3rd son, under 21) and Thomas (4th son, under 21). Daughters: Sarah LeBaron (now widow), Anna (2nd daugher) wife of Mr. Nathaniel Torrey of Plymouth, Priscilla (3rd dau) wife of Mr. William McKinstrey of Taunton, Elizabeth Leonard and Margaret Leonard (last 2 unmarried and called "my two youngest daughters"). Granddaughter Sarah LeBaron. My brother George Leonard, Esq. Lands in Norton, Attleborough, and Plymouth. Negro woman Bess. Wife to be exec. (17:436/7/8/9).

The descendants of this couple have a Mayflower descendancy through Nathaniel's mother, Anna Tisdale, her mother Hanna Rogers, to the latter's father, John Rogers, to Thomas Rogers, Mayflower Pilgrim.

ECL: "This family presents a shining example of who the Revolution separated families in their allegiances. Of the children, George and Priscilla were Loyalists in Boston while their brother Abiel was chaplain to the Connecticut troops under Washington. He was the one who preached the Evacuation Day sermon in the present Christ Church edifice in Cambridge before Washington and his officers. George furnished several of the ships that carried Lord Howe and the British to Halifax." Rev. Nathaniel Leonard had person sources.²

Priscilla Rogers was born in 1700 in Ipswitch or Norton, Massachusetts. Rev. Nathaniel Leonard and she were married on 22 October 1724 in Ipswich, Essex County, Massachusetts. She died on 10 November 1773 at age ~73 in Haverhill, Essex County, Massachusetts.¹

ECL: She died at the home of her daughter, Priscilla. She was appointed guardian of son Thomas when Nathaniel died in 1761. Priscilla Rogers had person sources.²

Col. Ephraim Leonard was born on 16 January 1706 in Norton, Bristol County, Massachusetts.¹ He and Judith Perkins were married on 28 May 1739 in Norwich, Massachusetts. He and Meletiah Fisher Ware were married on 15 July 1745 in Wrentham, Norfolk County, Massachusetts.² He and Abigail King were married on 18 March 1760. He and Anna Ruggles Wentworth were married on 27 December 1773 in Rochester, Plymouth County, Massachusetts.³ He died on 2 May 1786 at age 80 in East Mansfield, Massachusetts.⁴

Ephraim was Colonel of militia in French and Indian War. He was judge of the Court, appointed in 1747. He was initially an ambivalent supporter of the new United States. He disinherited his son, Daniel, who was a loyalist, required descendants to take an oath of allegiance to the US, and left his estate to Daniel's son, Charles. He was said to be the wealthiest man in Mansfield in his time. (NEHGS Register, 1851, p. 409). Obituary describes him as a "well-known jurist of Massachusetts."

Fanny Leonard says Daniel was his only child. See Fanny Leonard Koster, p. 80, for more about Col. Ephraim Leonard. It seems strange that with four wives Ephraim had only one child, but ECL/GML records also include only one.

He recorded: "Dick, an Indian man Major George Leonard deceased gave to his son Ephraim December 4, 1727."

Receipt dtd. 17 July 1730 by Ephraim Leonard, bloomer, for legacy from estate of his father Major George Leonard of Norton, as paid by his mother Anna Leonard, widow and executor. Also mentions Abiah Leonard and Anna Leonard, sister, deceased.

He apparently built a forge in Mansfield, MA. Col. Ephraim Leonard had person sources.⁵

Phebe Leonard was born on 9 May 1714 in Raynham, Bristol County, Massachusetts.¹ Jonathan King and she were married on 22 June 1737 in Raynham, Bristol County, Massachusetts. Col. Elnathan Walker and she were married on 6 November 1760 in Taunton, Bristol County, Massachusetts. She died on 3 April 1803 at age 88 in Middleborough, Plymouth County, Massachusetts.

Upon the death of Elnathan Walker, she moved to Middleborough and lived with her daughter, Phebe King Turner, wife of Rev. Caleb Turner, Pastor of the Congregational Church in Middleboro. She was listed as Phebe King when she married Elnathan Walker of Dighton. Phebe Leonard had person sources.²

Jonathan King was born on 17 October 1712 in Raynham, Bristol County, Massachusetts.¹ He and Phebe Leonard were married on 22 June 1737 in Raynham, Bristol County, Massachusetts. He died on 15 March 1754 at age 41 in Raynham, Bristol County, Massachusetts.

Jonathan built "Kings Furnace," which stood on a stream tributary to the Taunton river on the road leading to Middleboro in the east part of Taunton. This furnace was owned and kept in operation by the Kings about 100 years. The English Parliament, when they heard that the Americans were engaging in manufactures, prohibited in 1750, on penalty of two hundred pounds, "the erection of any mill for slitting or rolling iron, or any plating forge to work with a tilt hammer, or any furnace for making steel, in any of the colonies." Sanborn, "Genealogy of the Families of Kings," p. 16.

Jonathan had a twin brother, David. Jonathan King had person sources.²

John King was born in 1675 in Raynham, Bristol County, Massachusetts. He and Alice Dean were married on 1 February 1700 in Raynham, Bristol County, Massachusetts.¹ He died on 5 October 1741 at age ~66 in Raynham, Bristol County, Massachusetts.² He was buried at King Cemetery in Raynham, Massachusetts.

"The contract to build the second meeting house in Taunton was taken by John King. He drew logs and timber on the ice of the Taunton River and landed them at Barney Hill, a little this side of the village. That house was three stories high, containing, like the old South in Boston, two tiers of galleries on three sides. It was built in 1729. The expense of the house much exceeded his expectations and to make up his loss, the town gave him a present of the "Great Neck", a piece of land so called, in Raynham.

"John, like his father, felt a great interest in the welfare of Indians. He educated two men at his own expense, to become missionaries to their native brethren. Their names were Campbell and Occum." Genealogy of the Families of Kings, Sanford, Taunton, 1866, p. 8.

Stover's VR of Raynham has his death October 5, but his gravestone has it October 6.

John and Alice had 13 children, 3 of whom married Leonards.

Alice Dean was born on 20 November 1678 in Taunton, Bristol County, Massachusetts. John King and she were married on 1 February 1700 in Raynham, Bristol County, Massachusetts.¹ She died on 22 May 1746 at age 67 in Raynham, Bristol County, Massachusetts.² She was buried at King Cemetery in Raynham, Massachusetts.

Stover's Raynham VR's has her death as May 22, but her gravestone has it May 16. Alice Dean was born on 20 November 1678.

Mark Haskell was born in 1709 in Middleborough, Plymouth County, Massachusetts. He and Mary Spooner were married on 21 December 1730 in Rochester, Plymouth County, Massachusetts. He and Abiah Leonard were married on 18 June 1740 in Middleborough, Plymouth County, Massachusetts. He died on 25 August 1785 at age ~76. He was buried at Haskell Cemetery in Lakeville, Plymouth County, Massachusetts.

In the town records, "Haskell" looks like "Haskett." Also, sometimes it's written as "Haskel."

Abigail Morse was born on 22 September 1711 in Middleborough, Plymouth County, Massachusetts. Capt. Simeon Leonard and she were married on 10 December 1735 in Middleborough, Plymouth County, Massachusetts.¹ She died on 6 December 1795 at age 84 in Middleborough, Plymouth County, Massachusetts.

She was a descendant of Edward Doty of the Mayflower (Mayflower Descendant, Vol 39, Thomas Caswell of Taunton and His Descendants.) She also is a descendant of Francis Cooke and Stephen Hopkins of the Mayflower. Abigail Morse had person sources.²